North Korean locals fight back against military confiscation
Two soldiers from Kim Jong Un's army were severely beaten in North Korea when they attempted to seize acorns and wild berries collected by residents. The soldiers set up a roadblock in mid-September to forcibly take the civilians' harvest. However, their plan failed when the locals stood up to them.
In one of North Korea's provinces, a young man who had recently been discharged from the army and was working the night shift at a coal mine, went to the forest after work. He was collecting acorns to supplement his modest income. On his way back, he encountered two soldiers who tried to take his backpack full of collected acorns.
The man defended himself, and another young man, who had previously fallen victim to similar behaviour from the soldiers, joined the altercation. As a result, both soldiers were severely beaten, falling to the ground unconscious.
Every year around this time, people living near the Changsan coal mine go to the forest to gather berries and herbs as an additional food source. And every year, the soldiers of the Korean People's Army resort to banditry, an anonymous source from the "Daily NK" portal reported.
Some soldiers often set up roadblocks, claiming that the area is reserved for the military. If it is a restricted military area, they should prevent people from entering it, not simply steal their berries and backpacks along the way, which really angers the locals, stated the portal's informant.
The news of two soldiers being beaten while attempting to rob the residents quickly spread in the local community. Many people expressed joy, seeing that the soldiers were punished for their actions. Although soldiers often use violence against civilians, it is rare for them to become victims themselves.
The soldiers did not report the incident to their superiors. Instead, they appear to be trying to track down the civilians who beat them so they can take revenge, claims the "Daily NK" informant.
After the beating incident, soldiers in the area began to limit their aggressive behaviour, mainly targeting women and teenage boys, while avoiding adult men.
